Girl Over Boy
by Ivorycat
Summary: AU of the middle of season 3: On a routine patrol Angel, Gunn, along with Buffy discover a little girl who appears to have no actual life but has some future ahead of her. Can AI keep her safe from what's coming? Please read and review to find out.


                                                 GIRL 

                                                OVER

                                                 BOY

NOTE: The only character that I own here is Carmon. The rest belong to Joss, that big lame head.

A/N: This story idea kind of hit me in the head. I was just thinking about the Connor situation. Why can't his and Angel's relationship seem to work out? Then it came to me. Connor wasn't meant to be. All right. Maybe that's just my thought but it sounds close enough. Anyway, enjoy.

                                                          CHAPTER 1 

          Angel stood under an umbrella, rain pouring down in buckets. Buffy stood next to him, shaking water off of her boots which proved to be useless since the storm was still coming down. Angel held his son, Connor, in his arms, the baby wrapped in a bundle. Gunn and Fred leaned against the opposite wall in the alley, Gunn's hand around her waist, they, too, under an umbrella.

          Darla appeared in front of Angel's part of the alley then, not really taking any of them by too much of a surprise, except for Fred who jumped a little. Darla looked her former lover and baby over.

"You've done well, Angel," Darla smiled; the rain pouring down her thin frame seemed to make her sparkle ever so slightly. "He's beautiful."

"If I've done so _well_ then why is he leaving me?" Angel asked, his voice a low and angry whisper.

Darla turned her head away a little, not really able to look into the vampire's eyes. "This isn't my decision, Angel. I believe you can keep him safe."

"But I don't," Angel interrupted her. He looked down at the baby boy. "I can't. Every day it's a new attack, always the same thing. It's like if he doesn't leave he'll just be doomed to hell on earth, anyway."

Buffy put a gentle hand to Angel's shoulder. "He'll be OK."

"I still don't get it," Gunn suddenly piped up. "You can do the showy flashing in and out. Why can't you just take the kid with you?"

Darla shook her head slowly. "It doesn't work that way. My baby is a physical being. He didn't die like I did. I have to wait for—" Wesley came rushing into the alley then. "Well, him."

"I'm sorry I'm late," Wesley apologized quickly. He took a small crystal, just big enough to fit in your hand, from a bag he had. "It wasn't exactly easy to track this down."

Darla nodded gestured towards the alley wall that was behind her. Wesley nodded, understanding, and stuck the back end of the crystal against a wall. A large portal, swirls of blue and white on the inside of it, appeared right before the small group, where the alley wall had once been.

Darla looked at Angel and sighed. "It's time, Angel."

Angel nodded and gave his baby a final hug that seemed to go on forever yet not long enough for Angel. He wouldn't ever see his precious baby again and didn't want to let him go. Finally Angel, fighting back tears, handed Connor over to his mother. Darla smiled down at him.

"Hi, honey." Darla looked at the group of friends gathered before her. "I'm sorry. Really I am."

          Gunn held Fred closely, Wesley bowed his head sadly, Buffy looked at Angel, careful not to stare directly into his eyes, and Angel held a firm face but sad still. Darla looked at the bunch once more then turned and slowly entered the portal. The portal instantly disappeared, taking both mother and baby away forever.

          Every member of AI stood there, all sharing a quiet and sad silence. They stood so long that the rain started to lighten up and turn to drizzle. Wesley was the first to turn and slowly leave, Fred and Gunn following behind him. Buffy stayed close to Angel, who also managed to leave the alley. There was nothing left there for him, not anymore.

          They all walked back, heading towards the hotel, none of them saying anything. Angel and Buffy, both physically faster than any of them, seem to lag behind. Buffy finally looked at Angel and decided to speak.

"He'll be OK," she said, like she had earlier. Angel nodded slowly. "He will. He's his father's son."

Angel said nothing, not even another nod.

Buffy gave up and just decided to let him mope.

          They all made their way back to the hotel, shaking off umbrellas as they came in. Fred followed Gunn up to their bedroom, both tired. Wesley started to go upstairs to but turned back and looked at Angel.

"I'm sorry," the Englishman muttered. He went up the stairs then.

Buffy went up to the front desk, ringing the rainwater out of her ponytail. "Angel, I know how hard this must be on you. Everything is just so—" She turned to see that Angel had already gone upstairs. "Yeah. Good talking to you, too."

          Buffy went upstairs. As she approached Angel's suit the door slammed in her face, barely missing her nose. The slayer looked annoyed and insulted at the same time. She opened the door to Angel's room, going inside. The vampire stood by the window, peering behind the large drape. Buffy just stood, looking at him.

"Thank you for coming out here, Buffy," Angel suddenly thanked her.

Buffy privately cursed his vampire sense of smell. "Your welcome. I guess I can't blame you for not being much for the thankful thing."

"I'm sorry." Angel turned to her. "I'm glad you came here. I don't think I could've gotten through this without you."

Buffy shrugged. "Well, when the choice comes between helping out a friend and going blow for blow with another apocalypse... well, the apocalypse thing is getting old."

Angel approached her. "Thanks again."

Buffy smiled into his eyes. "Sure."

They stood there; an awkward silence began to develop.

Angel finally went over and sat on the foot of his bed. "So how did the others react to you just leaving Sunnydale?"

Buffy shrugged, going to sit next to him. "Giles started cleaning his glasses and Willow got all panicky when I left her in charge. I think she even prepared a lesson plan."

Angel sighed deeply. "I still can't believe he's gone."

Buffy offered him a smile. "He's happy, Angel. No one can get to him as long as he's with Darla."

"I'll never seem him again," Angel stated simply.

Buffy sighed a little. "I know. But I get the feeling Darla won't let him forget you. Death has _really_ softened her."

Angel actually forced a smile. "Yeah. Thanks."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Are you going to keep thanking me?"

"Maybe," the vampire shrugged. He smiled mischievously. "Thank you."

Buffy playfully slapped his arm, making them both laugh a little. They got lost in their laughter, slowly making a good eye connection. The laughter quieted. Angel, a sort of determined look in his eye, leaned in to kiss her. Buffy's lips made contact with Angel's before his could hers. They suddenly fell back on the bed, still kissing.

The next morning Fred walked downstairs to see the boys, Lorne, Wesley, and Gunn all in the lobby working. Fred walked up and gave Gunn a peck on the cheek, attempting to be cheerful even though she was still forlorn from the other night.

"Hey, baby," Gunn greeted her.

"Hey," Fred smiled a little. "Where's Angel?"

"Probably sleeping in," Wesley said, whose face was buried in a textbook.

"Mufasa saying goodbye to Simba," Lorne piped up. "Too sad."

"Yeah," Fred agreed. "Rough night. Buffy must be getting some sleep, too."

          Upstairs Buffy and Angel lay asleep in Angel's king sized bed, both clearly nude under the covers. Angel's eyes slowly opened and he looked next to him at a sleeping Buffy. The vampire smiled, kissing her cheek. Buffy stirred a little.

"If you're going to wake up would it kill you to not disturb the innocence?" she muttered.

"I'm not." Angel smirked. "I'm disturbing you."

"I _am_ innocent." Buffy turned over.

"Really? I'm not the one who said, "Keep going, no harder"." Angel laughed as Buffy slapped him in the chest. "Now you're into more physical? I've never seen this side of you."

"Angel," Buffy moaned. She sat up then, hugging the blanket against her chest. "Wait. Shouldn't you be without soul and trying to yank my vocal cords out?"

"I was planning on doing that after breakfast." Angel sat up as well. "But you're right. I can't exactly say I was unhappy last night."

"You better not," Buffy warned. She sighed. "Yet another mystery to solve."

"Who says your have to?" Buffy looked at him strangely. "Stop trying to find an explanation for everything. I didn't change, simple as that. Just let it go."

Buffy shrugged. "Maybe you're right. But if you tell me I was lousy in bed I'll be forced to stake you."

Angel played with her blonde hair. "Again with the physical."

Buffy took a pillow and stuffed it in his face, muffling him.

          That night Fred stood behind the front desk in the lobby, watching Gunn play with a sword, Lorne play a game of solitaire, Wesley had his nose in a book, and Buffy and Angel sat on the couch next to each other for reasons unknown to Fred. The phone went ringing then.

"Hello," Fred greeted, picking it up. "Angel Investigations. We help the helpless." Fred started to write information down on a nearby pad of paper. "Uh huh. How many? Right. We'll be there as soon as we can." She hung up the phone and turned to the others. "Vamps spotted in a warehouse."

          Angel, Gunn, and Buffy each grabbed a weapon and filed into Angel's car. The soul having vampire pulled up in front of the address Fred had given him. It was a tall, eerie warehouse. Angel out of the car followed Gunn and Buffy.

"This is the place?" Gunn asked in disbelief.

Angel nodded. "Fred gave me the addresses." He approached the building followed by Buffy.

"Major creepy factors," the slayer remarked.

"Yeah," Gunn agreed as they all entered the building. "No offense to Fred, love her like mad, but I think she got a crank." Gunn was abruptly knocked off his feet by a vampire pouncing down on him. "Scratch that."

The trio found themselves quickly surrounded by half a dozen vampires. "I get dibs on the juicy ones," said Buffy.

"Big fight scene, folks," Angel said in a low voice.

          Angel, Buffy, and Gunn quickly rushed the vampires, going hit for hit with them. Buffy effortlessly stabbed one of them in the heart with her stake, turning it to ashes. Angel kicked one in the upper abdomen and stabbed it as well. Gunn, after fighting off a few, went to the back of the warehouse to check for more. He saw a pair standing over something. Gunn snuck up and managed to turn both to dust. He saw what they had been standing over.

Gunn called, "Angel, Buffy, look!"

Buffy and Angel ran in at the same time.

"What?" Angel asked Gunn.

Gunn pointed to a little girl, huddled up against a corner, hugging her legs against her chest. Her face was buried in her knees; dirty blonde hair covered her head. Buffy, Angel, and Gunn all looked around at each other. The kid wore torn blue jeans and a stained t-shirt. Plus she was really thin and as short as they came. Buffy was the first to slowly approach her. She knelt to the young girl.

"Uh, hey," Buffy greeted ineptly. The girl looked up, revealing a pair of chocolate brown eyes. "What are you doing in here?" Buffy's voice was gentle.

The girl didn't answer, just went back to hiding her face.

Buffy looked at the guys, who shrugged. The slayer turned back to the child. "Um, hi... again. I'm Buffy. What's your name?"

The girl looked up again, very quickly, and went back to covering her dirt-streaked face.

Buffy looked at the guys once more.

Gunn felt sympathy for the slayer, as she wasn't getting anywhere with the little girl.

Angel walked up then. Buffy nearly stopped him, expecting the child to be afraid of him.

Angel put a hand to the girl's shoulder. "Hi." She looked up and slowly met Angel's eyes. "My name is Angel. Now what's yours?"

She was quiet for a moment before saying, "You're huge."

Gunn snickered in the back.

Buffy hid a smile.

Angel smirked. "Yeah, really huge... and you're small."

She released a little giggle. "Uh huh."

"Now what's your name?" Angel asked again.

The little girl noticed Gunn. "What's _his_ name?"

"Gunn," the black man replied gruffly.

She wrinkled her nose. "That's a stupid name."

Gunn glared at her.

It was Angel's turn to snicker.

"Least I got a name," Gunn muttered.

"Where are your parents?" Buffy asked.

The girl looked around the room. "Um... somewhere."

Angel, Buffy, and Gunn all shared confused expressions.

Angel held out a hand to her. "Come on. We have to get you out of here."

The child slowly took the vampire's hand and Angel lifted her into his arms, carrying her outside towards his car, Buffy and Gunn close by.

A/N: I know you all might be confused by this story and have questions, like where's Cordelia? Well, she's gone, plain and simple. I sold her. Bye, Cordy. Hey, I'd be thankful if I were you guys. I could have killed Wesley. Anyway, please review and all of your questions will be answered.

Another A/N: Some of you probably want to get down on me for starting new stories before I finish old ones. For those of you who like Potential Second Chance, don't worry. That shall get updated. As for Granted Wish... well, you better hope I'm in a good mood.


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